An antiques expert has described feeling 'trapped' after being left with a £13,000 service charge bill when prospective buyers of her Grade I-listed London flat pulled out at the last minute. Boudicca Scherazade, 57, has owned various rooms in Garrick's Villa in Hampton, London, for nearly 30 years, but her hopes of selling and retiring to the countryside have been dashed.
A Historic Property With a Storied Past
Ms Scherazade purchased part of Garrick's Villa, a stately home built in 1754, in 1997 for £130,000. She later acquired the rooms she now occupies for £350,000 in 2001. The property, located near Shakespeare's Temple theatre, was once owned by the revolutionary English actor David Garrick, who redesigned it with the help of neoclassical architect Robert Adam. Ms Scherazade has painstakingly restored the flat to its 18th-century design, including a grand Chinese drawing room with a 20-foot ceiling and 10-foot chandeliers, after a devastating fire in 2008 left the property uninhabitable for seven years.
The Sale That Fell Through
In May 2025, Ms Scherazade listed the property for £1,025,000. A buyer made an offer of £200,000 below the asking price, which she reluctantly accepted in hopes of moving on. However, the buyer pulled out at the last minute, leaving Ms Scherazade responsible for the annual service charge of £13,000—a cost she had not budgeted for, as she anticipated the sale would cover it. 'It's been a nightmare; there have been times I've been crying every night, woken up in tears,' she said. 'I thought I was going to be walking free, but no, they pulled out at the last minute. Then the next day, I got the annual service charge bill.'
Financial Strain and a GoFundMe Campaign
Ms Scherazade, who now runs an antiques business on eBay, earns over £80,000 annually, but the unexpected bill has forced her to set up a GoFundMe page to avoid falling into arrears. She has arranged to pay back the service charge at £1,000 per month, on top of her £2,000 monthly mortgage interest at 8 per cent and £500 council tax. 'My situation's dire, but there are certainly people in worse situations,' she said. 'It's been so humbling to see people donate, and it's been an eye opener because it's all the people that can least afford it, not the celebrities I provide for.'
A Unique Property That Deters Buyers
Ms Scherazade believes the flat's authenticity is deterring potential buyers. 'I've put everything into this house. I've lived here for 30 years, it was the family home with my mum until she died in 2021,' she explained. 'I've turned it back to being exactly as it was, had a huge amount of support from English Heritage but in so doing, I've lost two bedrooms and a bathroom. Now, it's a different scale and maybe it's a bit daunting.' The property includes two bedrooms, a balcony, a kitchen, a bathroom, and the 1,090 sq ft Chinese drawing room.
Looking to the Future
Despite her struggles, Ms Scherazade remains hopeful that a buyer will come forward. 'I bought this when I was 27 – I just hope lenders can start to free up money so that young people have the chances that I had to come here,' she said. The GoFundMe page, titled 'Mrs Garrick's Service Charges Fundraiser,' aims to help her cover the costs and avoid financial hardship.
